Pain – A Ringing Fire Alarm

Pain is always due to nerve irritation at some level in the body. When nerves are irritated, they conduct messages that are interpreted by the brain as different types of pain – burning, aching, throbbing, etc. It’s the body’s way of bringing conscious awareness to an underlying health problem. Many irritations aren’t felt until a certain pain threshold is reached, meaning that damage is being done under the radar. When this threshold is reached, the fire alarm starts ringing.

This is a very important fact to understand. When pain finally happens, damage has already been done! A disease process is already established and underway. When the pain from a tooth cavity starts bothering you, do you think the problem began exactly when the pain did? Or was it the months or years of decay that caused the cavity? It’s no different in the neck, back, or any other part of your body.

I find it appalling to read the statistics on how many pain-killing medications are being prescribed and consumed as a first line of defence against pain. Pain, as mentioned above, is the result of some form of nerve irritation, and it’s negligent to mask it without searching for the cause. Our society is quickly becoming disillusioned by the quick-fix, tablet-prescribing, “mask the symptom” mentality. That’s not healthcare. That’s SICKcare, and it allows for greater suffering in the long run. If you are a pain sufferer, maybe it’s time to consult a professional who will search for and help correct the cause of the problem. Why sever a ringing fire alarm wire, allowing the fire to rage on, when a Doctor of Chiropractic can find the fire and put it out?